


long way down

by hcdalcxa



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Zombie AU, Zombie Exodus Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-26 04:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6224074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hcdalcxa/pseuds/hcdalcxa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The CDC via the White House has just announced over 20% of the world is infected with Virus Zeta. Reports are coming in from around the globe of a massive spread of this terrible infection that attacks the brain and nervous system, quickly disabling the victim and in effect re-animating the body of the afflicted. Moments ago, we heard from Dr. Anthony Willis who has treated the infected and stated they show deterioration of the bone and muscles, a yellowing of the skin, lack of fine motor abilities described as a drunken walk, and inability to speak.”</p><p>OR</p><p>that one zombie au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. infection

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so basically, this is a Zombie Exodus crossover. I know zombie AUs are really big in the fandom right now, especially with the creation of Elyza Lex (who I fucking love by the way), but this was started before she came into being so I'm going to continue on with Lexa and Clarke. And, disclaimer, this story follows Zombie Exodus, the game, very closely. There will be spoilers, and none of the storyline belongs to me. Like pretty much at all. I just really liked it and I really like the 100 so here's what you get when you mix them.

 

Lexa awakened to flashing lights in her face and the sound of blaring horns as a succession of emergency vehicles led by a fire truck sped its way down her street. It wasn’t something she was unused to-- she lived in a residential area, but her neighborhood was often used as a cut through for those who needed to avoid traffic lights as well as traffic itself. What she wasn’t used to, however, was having the television still on. After what she had come to learn, though, it was no surprise. Bits of earlier that afternoon came flashing back to mind. Chaos in the streets. Anya packing her bag while Lexa packed hers. Helicopters making round after round in the air above.

 

Now Lexa glanced around the small home for her sister, but was unable to find her in the apartment they shared. They had been together for nearly every second of Lexa’s twenty one years, and had even taken on the mother/daughter dynamic after their parents had passed away. The blonde had taught Lexa everything she knew about responsibility, justice, and diligence. But underneath the constant cultivation of those important skills, Anya had always had a wild spirit and on most occasions, she was able to do what no one else could; she was able to make Lexa drop all of her inhibitions and simply smile. Anya had raised her, and she was all the family that Lexa needed.

 

Or so Lexa thought. Until the apocalypse hit.

 

With no sign of Anya anywhere, the brunette wandered into the kitchen to take a glance at the whiteboard where they usually left messages when they left the house without notice. Sure enough, in the blonde’s nearly illegible handwriting sat a note.

 

 _Sorry for not being here when you woke up.  
__I’m heading out to get some things before we leave._  
_You were sick, so I didn’t wake you, but the city is obviously getting worse_  
 _and we need to get out of here ASAP. Be ready when I get back_.  

_-An_

 

Lexa felt her stomach flip nervously before glancing at her cell phone for the time. 8:03 pm. She’d been asleep for hours.

 

Stalking back to the living room to wait for the return of her sister -- and to try to keep her mind off of anything that could’ve gone wrong -- Lexa plopped down on the couch and turned her attention to the news segment that was being broadcasted on every channel.

 

“The CDC via the White House has just announced over 20% of the world is infected with Virus Zeta. Reports are coming in from around the globe of a massive spread of this terrible infection that attacks the brain and nervous system, quickly disabling the victim and in effect re-animating the body of the afflicted. Moments ago, we heard from Dr. Anthony Willis who has treated the infected and stated they show deterioration of the bone and muscles, a yellowing of the skin, lack of fine motor abilities described as a drunken walk, and inability to speak.”

 

The doctor, Dr. Willis, went on to explain scientifically the way in which the virus affected the brain, but Lexa’s mind was instead on her sister as her eyes drifted out of focus. It was only after his spiel had ended and the spotlight had been passed back to the anchor that she came back to reality.

 

“This just in. Governor Tate has declared a state of emergency, and the National Guard have come in to keep peace in the streets and enforce a mandatory curfew of 9 pm.”

 

Lexa’s face fell as she glanced once more at her phone. 8:11. Anya had less than an hour to return home before she was locked in wherever she was. And that didn’t sit well with Lexa. She unlocked her phone and dialed the number as quickly as her clumsy fingers would allow, tapping her toes as it immediately jumped to the irritated growl of Anya's pre-recorded greeting. Her phone was dead. Shit.

 

The girl’s thoughts raced as she considered the information she had. As far as Lexa knew, Anya could’ve been on her way home at that very moment. But then again, she could’ve already been stuck somewhere. It was at that moment that an incoming call interrupted Lexa’s reverie. She hurriedly answered, her breath coming out shortly.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Lex?” Lexa’s eyes rolled shut with relief at the sound of her sister’s husky voice.

 

“Anya, thank God. Where the hell are you?” She demanded.

 

“I got stuck. The streets are fucking crazy and I had to take shelter. Thankfully I knew someone in the neighborhood.”

 

“Who?”

 

Anya huffed, obviously wishing to relay much more important information than the trivial name of her savior. “Her name is Clarke Griffin. Listen, Lexa. We need to leave the city, like immediately. Things are bad now, but it’s just going to get worse from here. Clarke knows a guy who is rounding up a bunch of people and taking off to the countryside and you and I, we’re going with them.”

 

Lexa could feel her eyebrows furrow on their own accord, her hand flying up to cover her forehead. “You’re kidding me, right?” She hissed, hoping this Clarke girl couldn’t hear her.

 

“No, I’m not.” For once, Anya’s voice lacked any sense of humor. Rightfully so.

 

“Anya, do you even know these people? Other than Clarke?”

 

“No. But do we have another choice?”

 

Lexa considered this for a moment. Yes, they did have other choices, but every single one of them seemed wrong and dangerous to Lexa.

 

“So, what then?”

 

“ _So_ , you come meet us here. We pack up and tomorrow we head out. By tomorrow night, you and I will be far, far away from this nightmare.”

 

Lexa sighed, her mind racing, looking for any other alternatives. She couldn’t find any.

 

“What’s her address?”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa hurriedly changed into jeans and downed a large glass of water before searching the apartment for anything she might need. She grabbed the backpack she had filled the night before, and threw in her wallet, two phone chargers, and some food and water before reaching beneath her bed to pull out the .38 Special revolver she and Anya kept for emergencies, as well as all the ammo she could carry.

 

Once she figured she had everything she needed, Lexa made quick work to lock the apartment and start down the hallway. She passed by the elevator -- which, on any normal day, would have been a Godsend due to their place on the seventh floor, but tonight only seemed to be a metal death trap -- and made her way towards the staircase. She descended the first few flights with ease, but as she made it to the fifth floor, the lights around her began to flicker. Within seconds, Lexa was immersed in complete darkness with nothing but the sound of her breathing echoing off of the cinderblock walls.

 

She could feel her chest beginning to heave in panic, her hands shaking as she reached into her pocket for the phone. She had about 50% of her battery left, but had to hope that the flashlight wouldn’t drain too much of it. She clicked it on and continued her descent.

 

Lexa’s eyes were on her feet as she shuffled down the flight. It was for that reason that she didn’t see the unevenness of her next step until she was upon it.

 

She yelped as she foot was met with something soft, sinking a little bit. She hopped off, and whirled around to shine her light on it. What she saw shook her to her core.

 

A human figure began to raise itself from where it had been lying against the ground. It jerked to its feet, staggering forward with a blood-chilling howl. Lexa’s mouth gaped open and she could only watch with horror as it began making its way toward her. Her fingers gripped at the gun slung over her shoulder as she stepped back, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to use it without forfeiting her light source. She hastily dropped the phone and with unsteady fingers, she pulled the revolver up to fire, turning off the safety and hoping for the best as she unloaded three bullets.

 

She heard the body collapse but didn’t move, instead keeping her back carefully to the cinderblock wall and her gun aimed in front of her. She listened intently for footsteps or more moaning but nothing came. After a few moments, when the shaking of her knees had subsided and she was positive that the _thing_ was no longer moving towards her, Lexa decided she needed to go, immediately. She snatched up her phone and trekked down the stairs, faster than she had ever gone in her life.

 

Within minutes, Lexa had reached the lobby. It was much warmer than the stairwell, and though only a few rays of light peeked through the windows and doors, coming from the streetlamps outside, it was enough to calm her heart just a tad more. From her spot, she could glance outside and see the utter mayhem in the streets. People screaming, guns firing, breaking wood and glass. It was inside the lobby, however, that Lexa found a more immediate problem.

 

In the reception area of the lobby, she could see two women fighting to hold off a staggering figure in a biker’s uniform, his helmet still attached ironically to his head. The girls screamed, but they had only two brooms to keep their attacker at bay.

 

“Raven, he’s coming to your left!” The shorter of the two shouted, her long brown hair swinging wildly over her shoulders as she bounced from foot to foot, eyes wide with concern.

 

The taller woman with jet black hair held high in a ponytail, limped backwards, swinging her broom across her body several times as if it were a baseball bat. “Thanks, O, I couldn’t see him,” she grunted, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Had they not been in a fight for their lives, Lexa might’ve laughed. But they were, so she refrained.

 

Lexa raised her gun but her finger sat reluctantly over the trigger. She was not the most adept marksman, and the frenzied way in which the three bodies were moving made her very nervous indeed. But she couldn’t just stand there while the damned thing attacked the helpless girls, so she took a deep breath and sent one shot through the walker’s head.

 

The women glanced up at her with eyes the size of saucers, taking a moment to get over their initial shock before approaching slowly.

 

The slightly taller woman -- the limping one -- spoke first, still out of breath. “Thanks for the help. Seriously.”

 

“Yeah, that was so fucking cool,” the other chirped. “I can’t believe no one else helped us.”

 

The one called Raven shot her companion a look. “Oh yes, Octavia, none of the dead people lifted a finger. How ridiculously rude of them.”

 

Given the absurdity of the situation, Lexa could do little to conceal the laugh that bubbled up from her throat. The other girls stared at her with twin expressions of surprise before their faces melted into smiles and they dissolved into breathless giggles as well.

 

Lexa looked between them, taking in their sweaty faces. She pulled off her backpack to grab a bottle of spring water, holding it out to the two. “Here, take this. Dehydration is killer and you guys must be exhausted from running around so much.”

 

The slightly taller woman rolled her eyes. “That bastard was chasing us around for twenty minutes, and the fucking cops wouldn’t let us by with it still on its legs,” she muttered before taking the bottle that other had finished nursing.

 

“I’m Octavia, by the way,” the girl with the sea green eyes explained. She hooked a finger at her counterpart. “This grumpy cow is Raven.” Raven lightly shoved her, but there was a fond smile on her face, one that Lexa could only tightly mirror.

 

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lexa.”

 

Octavia nodded, before bouncing on her feet once more. “Alright, Lexa. Let’s get out of here.”

 

The three headed towards the tall glass triple doors that lined the front of the complex. Lexa reached for the handle, but as soon as her fingertips had wrapped around the cool metal of it, she felt a warm hand on her arm. She glanced up to find Raven, pulling her back, pointing to the outside.

 

Lexa looked up to find two figures clad in police uniforms. One was waving them back, a look of anger on his face, while his partner pointed a gun at them. Lexa’s eyebrows knit together in worry as she held her hands up in surrender, backing away quickly. When she had gotten a safe distance away, the woman officer lowered her gun.

 

They couldn’t hear each other, but Lexa was determined to make them understand that she had to get out.

 

She mouthed ‘open the door,’ to them, her eyes narrowed in a challenge. When neither of them made a move to open it, she took a step forward, mouthing it again.

 

The two officers looked at each other, and back towards her. Finally, the taller one stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out a keychain, unlocking the glass door. He only opened it a crack, though.

 

“I’m officer Kane, and this is my partner, Byrne. No one is getting out during curfew with those things running around the city,” he explained gruffly.

 

Lexa’s brain worked over an excuse for leaving, and finally she came to the conclusion that honesty was the best policy. She took a deep breath.

 

“Officers, my sister, Anya, left this apartment building a few hours ago and hasn’t returned. The truth is, she’s sick and needs her medication. She’s a diabetic and has to have insulin. It’s been a few hours and I need to try to reach her before it’s too late. She’s only twelve years old and I’m really worried. She could be in shock, or worse with all these zombies running around the city.” Well, it was mostly honest. Kind of. She pulled a concerned face and watched the officer intently.

 

Kane seemed to consider this for a moment, before pulling the door open a little wider. “My mother was diabetic, so I know how important it is to reach your sister. Just be careful out there. Lots of infected running around. People aren’t much better: looting, robbing, and worse. Everything is going to hell.”

 

Lexa nodded. “Thank you, officers,” she said, and started running. Within seconds, she was too far out of earshot to hear the resounding ‘good luck’ from Raven, Octavia, and the police officers.

 

As soon as Lexa was out of her neighborhood, she began looking for a car. Clarke’s home was roughly five miles away, and there was no way Lexa could make it by walking. Not if she wanted to keep her guts out of a zombie’s prying hands.

 

She started towards the first reliable looking vehicle she saw: an old pick-up truck. She approached quickly, picking up a large metal piece of debris left behind by the chaos. With a few whacks, Lexa was able to break the window completely open. She wrapped her jacket around her arm and stuck her hand in to unlock the door.

 

She cleared the seat and hopped in, thanking her lucky stars when she found the key sitting right in the ignition. She tugged on it, sighing with relief as it hummed to life. Within seconds, Lexa had buckled herself in and was on her way.

 

Lexa pulled up to the house only minutes later, taking in the impressive size. She cut the engine quickly, grabbing her backpack and sprinting to the door. She gave a hard knock before looking out around her, hating how vulnerable she felt in the moonlight.

 

The gray curtains to her right shuffled, catching her attention, until she heard a deadbolt sliding out of place. The door pulled open, and a familiar figure appeared in front of her. Strong hands grasped at her shirt, pulling her inside the door and wrapping around her back. It didn’t take but a moment for Lexa to relax into her sister’s hug as she inhaled the comfortable scent. The two stood interlocked for a while, until a throat was cleared behind them. Anya pulled back, wiping a small tear away with one hand while the other arm was thrown haphazardly across Lexa’s shoulders.

 

“Lex, this is Clarke Griffin, A.K.A. our new hero,” she began, gesturing to the other blonde. She was shorter than the older Woods sibling, and had soft features compared to Anya’s sharp eyes and even sharper cheekbones. The rifle slung across her back looked completely out of place next to her angelic attributes, but in the way that she stood and the confidence she exuded, it was obvious that it wasn’t the first time she had handled a weapon. “Clarke, this is my baby sis, Lexa.”

 

Clarke stepped forward, offering her hand. “Hi Lexa, it’s nice to meet you.”

 

Lexa had to convince herself that her pounding heart was due to the excitement of seeing her sister again, not the crooked smile on Clarke’s face. And it was _definitely_ not due to Clarke’s voice, which was deeper and huskier and raspier than Lexa could’ve possibly imagined. No, definitely not.

 

The three girls headed into the kitchen where stacks of boxes and packages littered the counters, table, and floors. Clarke took a seat at the table, resting her hands in front of her, while Anya circled the counter. She leaned across it, looking more leonine than ever in her loose tank top and tight grey jeans. It was at that point that Lexa noticed the blotchy color of Anya’s skin, and the scrapes covering her hands and face.

 

“Are you hurt?” The brunette asked with immediate worry, stalking her way over to her sister. She grabbed at the taller woman’s arm, silently moving her pliant body as she inspected the scratches. They were shallow, but many. Lexa glanced up into almond eyes, concern contorting her features.

 

Anya’s sigh was tired. “Nah, we’re just a little roughed up. There was some shithead looters trying to break in. Clarke’s a hell of a shot, though,” she explained, shooting a wink to her companion. Clarke’s smile was tight, but genuine.

 

Lexa didn’t take time to appreciate the light-hearted air. She was more preoccupied with the thoughts racing through her head. “Why did you come here when you knew the infection was spreading?” She questioned, eyes hard and serious.

 

Anya glared down at her little sister. They loved each other, they really did, but ever since Lexa had reached age 16, there had been a constant struggle for power between the siblings. Rarely was Anya able to assert full dominance over her sister. This was just another example in a long line where Lexa questioned her decisions.

 

“I wanted to stock up on food. I had no idea the infection was getting so crazy. Clarke needed to get some things too, so we figured we go together. Got back here and it was too late to head home.”

 

Lexa considered this for a moment, green eyes flicking back and forth between deep amber. After a moment, she took a step back to sit in one of the chairs.

 

Anya plopped a plate down in front of her little sister, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on it. It was definitely not Lexa’s favorite meal, but the crusts had been cut off to make it a bit more palatable. She glanced up to see Anya’s brows quirk challengingly. “Eat,” she mouthed, before nodding in Clarke’s direction. Lexa glanced over to see the blue-eyed blonde watching them intently. It was obvious that she was appraising Lexa's reaction, and obvious that she had been the very thoughtful mind behind the sandwich. Normally, Lexa would've refused the plate anyways -- she was a hugely picky eater, always had been -- but for some reason, she couldn't stomach the thought of seeing Clarke's hopeful face fall. She grunted with knitted eyebrows, picking up her sandwich and biting into it.

 

Clarke seemed satisfied with that, and turned her body more towards the Woods siblings, pursing her lips for a second before she began talking. “So, basically the infection is spreading like crazy. Huge chunks of the world’s population lives in like cities, right? So that’s where the government is trying to keep the zombies, like corral them in. That sucks for us. Outside of the city, however, there are less people and they’re fewer and farther between, so there are less walkers around,” she explained. She stood from her chair, striding forward lazily.

 

Lexa nodded. That seemed to be what Clarke was waiting for, because she started back up again.

 

“Our main concern would be utilities and food going down, because that’s when people start getting antsy. That’s when looters get more and more brave. Some people think that the military will be setting up borders around the city, which means that we’ll be stuck here. So, out there is where we need to be as soon as humanly possible.”

 

“Otherwise, we’re just waiting around to die. There’s no way in hell we could take on a city full of zombies, as well as ward off other survivors. We’d be meals on wheels,” Anya conceded. Lexa swallowed. “Clarke knows some people who are leaving tomorrow. If we stay, our chances are slim. If we go with Bellamy’s group, we have a better chance of living.”

 

Anya had never been easy to read, but after a lifetime of practice, Lexa had become quite good at it. Now, it was all too easy for her to see the hope hidden in her sister’s eyes.

  
“We’re all tired,” Lexa began, her voice hoarse from the emotions that had been coursing through her since the whole thing had started. “Let’s get some rest and we’ll figure out what to do in the morning. Then we need to meet with Bellamy and get the hell out of here.”


	2. exodus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> right so, I just wanted to real quick apologize for the initial shape my last chapter was in! I was super tired and it was definitely not the highest quality, obviously. Hopefully this one will make up for it (though I'm still really tired so there might be a handful of errors). But yeah! Dedicated to Travis and Becky for supporting me and shit. Love you <3

 

Clarke led Lexa up the stairs to the small bedroom that she would spend the night in. As they walked, Lexa took the opportunity to properly appreciate the girl. While both she and Anya were blonde, that’s where the similarities ended. She seemed to be much closer to Lexa in age, and was shorter than both Woods siblings. The sharp, electric blue of her eyes was clear and almost unsettling, even in the dim lights of the house. Her hair hung in loose waves down her shoulders, save for a handful of strands pulled back to free her eyes. She was beautiful, even with the dried blood across her chest and the split lip.

 

“Alright, this is your room. Feel free to make yourself at home, seriously. It’s not like I’ll ever see this place again,” she muttered with a shrug, her eyes showing no true upset at the prospect.

 

They had spent the last half hour cleaning up the kitchen, Clarke chatting up a storm whilst Anya only added in a word or two when needed. Every so often, Anya would shoot Lexa an apologetic smile, something that Lexa was grateful for. She didn’t know where she’d be if it weren’t for Anya.

 

The windows of the large guest room were boarded up, curtains drawn tight. There were candles everywhere, which comforted Lexa in a way she hadn’t expected. Like she wasn’t so alone, lost in the dark anymore.

 

The world around them was falling to shit, but it didn’t stop Lexa’s eyes from fluttering close the minute her head hit the pillow.

 

* * *

 

_ All around her, there is darkness, and she can feel nothing. She is being suspended. She can’t place it, but there is an unsettling feeling in the area surrounding her. All she knows is that she has to get out. _

 

_ From her left, she can hear a low, guttural groan. It startles her. She knows exactly what it is, but not how it got into such a close proximity. She struggles to open her eyes, but for some reason, she finds them sealed shut. Her arms are pinned to her sides. _

 

_ Another moan, long and pained, rips through the air. This one is much closer and is somewhere to her right. She wants to cry out, but her instincts tell her to keep her mouth shut if she wants to live. She struggles to move her arms or legs, so that she may get out of wherever she is and find her sister. Her internal clock is telling her that time is of the essence. She knows that if she wants to escape the city, she has to get to Bellamy. But how can she make it to them when she can’t even move her own body? _

 

_ This time, there are two groans, much closer to her. They happen simultaneously, and are even closer to her than the others previous. She wants to open her eyes, she needs to see where the zombies are in relation to her, but she can’t. _

 

_ There is more moaning, and soon, all she can hear is a chorus of it. Within seconds, they advance. It is only when she hears a growl, low in her ear, that she screams. _

 

_ That’s when she feels a hand on her shoulder. _

 

_ “Lexa!” _

 

Lexa’s eyes shot open, her body jolting to a sitting position while her hand flew to her heart. She glanced around the room with wide eyes, trying to calm her breathing.

 

“Lexa, you were having a nightmare,” Clarke muttered, holding her robe closed at the seams as she pressed a cool hand to Lexa’s forehead. The gesture seemed strangely intimate and even slightly out of place, but it wasn’t something that Lexa had the ability to focus on as she tried to recover from her dream. Anya stood by the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, worry evident in her eyes.

 

“Shit,” Lexa mumbled under her breath, exhaling shakily. Her fingers flew to her hair, clutching at it.

 

The candles had burned down, and most had blown out, but there were still a few dim ones lighting the room. The clock that dawned the wall -- battery operated -- ticked on. Six o’clock.

 

Clarke glanced behind her, eyes locking on the clock as well.

 

“Yeah, it’s just past dawn. We better get going soon if we want to make it on time.” She only gave a small half smile, but it did wonders for Lexa. “Breakfast is ready downstairs if you want it.”

 

Lexa nodded, and Clarke took that as her cue to go. She shuffled out of the room, robe trailing behind her. As soon as she was gone, Anya stepped forward.

 

“You alright, kiddo?”

 

“Yeah, fine.”

 

Her voice lowered, becoming more gentle in tone. “Was it about Cos?”

 

Lexa winced at the name. She shook her head. Silence filled the room for another moment, before she pushed herself out of the bed and grabbed up the jeans she had discarded the night before. She pushed her clumsy legs into them, hand pressed to the wall for support. “Where are we headed anyway?” A terribly unsubtle change of subject, but she knew that Anya would understand.

 

“Bellamy has some location outside of the city. The only way out there is by boat if we don’t want to be stopped by those military dicks.”

 

Made sense. 

 

“Take a few minutes to situate yourself. Clarke and I are ready to head out whenever you are.”   
  


* * *

 

 

Lexa spent her time in the bathroom trying to avoid the mirror. She was sure her hair looked greasy and tangled, braids mostly undone, and she was sure her face looked even worse. Her eye bags were probably darker than they’d been since last finals week. Lucky for her, she’d never have to deal with finals week again. Not so lucky, neither would anyone else. 

 

She headed down the stairs to find the two blondes packing items and provisions in the knapsacks and suitcases. Anya held three bags, while Clarke carried two. 

 

Lexa moved towards the front window and peaked out between the heavy wooden planks that lined it. In the morning light, there were several zombies in sight, but nothing they couldn’t handle, she was sure. What she was more worried about was what was out of sight. The infection was spreading so rapidly, she was positive that the neighborhood and everything surrounding it was pretty much gone by now. And whoever had survived, well… they were just as dangerous.

 

Lexa glanced back at the other two. “Do we have a plan for getting outside?”

 

“Well, we have the car. We’re just going to pack and go,” Clarke explained, frowning.

 

“There are zombies everywhere out there,” Lexa said, hooking a finger towards the window. The blondes sprinted over to look.

 

“Shit,” Anya mumbled under her breath, her arms crossing over her chest.

 

Lexa nodded. “We need to figure out how to get out of here safely.” She stood for a moment, considering. “Clarke, is there a way to safely reach the roof?”

 

Clarke looked at her like she was crazy, but Anya turned to watch the other blonde carefully, making it clear that it was a very serious inquiry.

 

“The attic windows weren’t boarded up, but they don’t open. Why?”

 

The Woods siblings exchanged looks. “Do I have permission to open them anyway? By force?”

 

Clarke’s eyes bugged. “What do you need to be on the roof for?” She asked again, her voice raising slightly in pitch.

 

“Someone has to stand guard in case any of those things start coming. A 360 aerial view is probably the best idea. I’ll head up there and keep an eye out whilst you and Anya pack the car,” Lexa explained, her voice radiating authority.

 

Clarke took a moment to think it over, but seemed to come up with no better option. She sighed, nodding. “The door across from the room you slept in, those are the stairs to the attic. The windows to the right look out over the front lawn and open out to the roof.”

 

“Thank you. I’ll need that.” She pointed to the rifle slung across Clarke’s shoulders.

 

There was a firm shake of the head. “Nuh-uh. What if I need it?”

 

Lexa’s eyes hardened. She really didn’t want to argue, as it wouldn’t help any of them, but she wasn’t in the best of moods and she refused to be disrespected. Even if the person doing the disrespecting was ridiculously pretty. “A zombie won’t get close enough for you to use it. Not while I’m up there. And though I’m not a gun expert, I think that a rifle will do me a lot better for long-range than my cruddy .38 Special will. Not to mention, there are six bullets. That means six zombies. The  _ seventh _ will likely be tearing into your flesh before my gun is reloaded,” she intoned, green eyes staring unflinchingly. Her voice slowed so that every syllable was clear. “So I suggest that I take that. If you really insist, however, I can offer a trade.” Her eyebrows shot up in a silent challenge, posture stiff.

 

Clarke’s lips tightened in disapproval, but she said nothing as she pulled the gun holster over her head, a small box of ammo out of her pocket, and handed them to the brunette. With silence, she picked up her bags and stalked over to the door.

 

“Give me five minutes to get up there.”

 

Lexa gripped the gun tighter to her chest, ensuring the safety was on before she climbed the two flights of stairs. Once in the dim room of the attic, she used the butt of the rifle to break through the window and wipe the remaining shards of glass out of her way. She took her time creeping out onto the inclined roof, making sure to keep a steady hand both on the tiles below her and on her gun as well. By the time the five minutes was up, she was situated quite comfortably.

 

From this vantage point, Lexa could see the neighborhood in its full view. Below, she could hear the front door open, and watched as two figures scurried out towards the Jeep Wrangler. Green eyes surveyed the area for any immediate threats, but other than a small group of walkers about a dozen houses away and a zombie dressed as a mailman on another street, there wasn’t anything worth drawing attention to.

 

Anya popped the hatch of the car open while Clarke headed to the driver’s side. Little noise was made and for a moment, Lexa almost wondered if it was worth the worry anyway. That was, until she caught onto the sound of another door opening. Her eyes latched onto a neighbor’s house where a woman dressed in nothing but a bathrobe appeared. 

 

She may have staggered like a drunk person, but her intent was clear and her speed showed purpose; she was headed straight towards Clarke. And Clarke was not aware.

 

Fear seized up in Lexa’s throat as she watched, but her physical reaction was almost instinctual. Within moments, the safety was off, and the assault rifle was pulled up, prepared to shoot.

 

The bullet that ripped through the air seemed to surprise the women below as it lodged itself into the neighbor’s leg. She collapsed to the ground, growling lowly, but still pulling herself towards Clarke. Lexa fired another one into the woman’s head, and watched with disgust as it bounced off the pavement with a sickening  _ clunk _ . The thing didn’t move again.

 

Clarke quickly pulled herself out of her shock and turned back to the task at hand. Now, moving out of necessity of fear, the job was finished fairly quickly. Within moments, Lexa was able to crawl back through the window and head downstairs to join her sister.

 

Clarke offered to sit in the back, handing the keys to Lexa, which the brunette took with wide eyes. It almost struck her as a show of submission, which didn’t seem to fit the blonde at all. Neither did the blush of embarrassment that painted her cheeks as she leaned in for a quick, tight hug, whispering a “thank you” against Lexa’s ear.

 

As the three women climbed into the jeep and Lexa flipped the key in the ignition, it became clear that time was of the essence. Apparently, the two shots she had spent on Clarke’s neighbor had been loud enough to attract more of the walkers. As they pulled out of the driveway, Lexa had to maneuver her way around the rotting bodies, but eventually, they were able to make it out of the neighborhood unscathed. 

 

The drive through the surrounding streets was fairly peaceful. Abandoned cars littered the roads, as did debris from the previous  rioting and looting, but other than the signs of past chaos, there seemed to be no activity. Alive or undead.

 

“So, where are we going?” Lexa questioned, her voice fairly gentle in juxtaposition to the last time she had directed her attention to Clarke.

 

“You know the old fishing dock down by the warehouse district? Miller’s Dock?” Anya replied, before Clarke had a chance.

 

For some reason, this irritated Lexa. “I don’t really fish much,” she deadpanned, her expression unimpressed.

 

Clarke sighed, taking out her iPhone. Soon, she was speaking into the mic, and Siri is searching for directions.

 

“Don’t you have a map?” Anya asked, her voice incredulous.

 

“I have my phone,” Clarke responded, waving the screen in front of Anya’s face. 

 

“What happens if your phone stops working?” Her question was sharp and pointed. If Clarke felt defeated, though, she didn’t show it. She glanced down at her phone, reading aloud the directions to Lexa.

 

“Carlson Bridge is the most direct way,” she explained, eyes on the map projected on her phone screen.

 

From her peripherals, Lexa could see Anya shake her head. “Too many people use that bridge. It’d be better to avoid the potential mess. Can you imagine how many people probably tried to flee the city only to get stuck out there? It’s better to take the tunnel.”

 

“You want to take an underground tunnel that goes under the river?” Clarke’s voice raised slightly in pitch, and Lexa could just imagine her golden eyebrows knitting together.

 

“It’s not like the whole thing has collapsed. Calm down,” Anya replied, dismissing Clarke’s worry with a wave of her hand.

 

Lexa sighed, one hand reaching up to massage the bridge of her nose. “There has to be another route. What about the expressway?”

 

“That’s not a direct route. We’d have to go south and then take the interstate. It’s huge though, with lots of options if we get stuck and have to pick a new one,” Anya stated matter of factly.

 

“You’re driving, Lexa. Just pick something,” Clarke muttered agitatedly from the backseat.

 

Lexa nodded. “Let’s take the expressway. I know it better.”

 

She quickly pulled the car around in a U-turn. When they reached the expressway, no living thing was visible, but the road that stretched out in front of them reminded Lexa of the aftermath of a tornado. Vehicles were overturned, windows and windshields shattered, and the amount of bullet casings lying on the ground was bone-chilling. Bodies lain strewn across the tar road, making Lexa’s stomach churn. It looked like a battlefield without a victory.

 

Lexa carefully weaved in and out of the debris, cautious so as not to disturb anything, should it come back to bite them in the ass -- literally and figuratively. To her relief, however, nothing arose.

 

After about two miles, the GPS alerted them to the off-ramp. At about ten miles an hour, Lexa wound the road. She was stopped, however, by a blockade of abandoned cars on the other side.

 

“What are we going to do now?” Clarke questioned, voice laced with worry.

 

“Well, we need to find a way to get around it,” Anya explained, level-headed as ever.

 

Clarke scoffed. “Figured that out all on your own, Sherlock?” She questioned. In any other situation, it would’ve been friendly teasing, but her voice and body were tense. This was no time for games.

 

Lexa cut in. “The only way to get by is for one of us to get in a car and drive it out of the way.”

 

There was an audible inhale and Lexa looked in the rearview mirror to see Clarke’s eyes narrowed. “Let me get this straight. You want us to get out of our safe vehicle and get in one of those death traps instead?”

 

Lexa really didn’t appreciate the attitude that Clarke was copping, but if there was one thing she had learned, it was that diplomacy always won out. Being a hot-head would get her nowhere, especially with someone like Clarke.

 

“If we turn back now, it’s a long way. It’s a huge waste of time,” she explained calmly, her voice low and gravelly. 

 

Clarke leaned back, only slightly pacified, it seemed. “That’s true but I don’t want any of us to die, and those cars are bad news.”

 

“We can’t afford to backtrack and take another route. One of us will have to get in a car and drive it out of the way while the others stand watch. The middle one seems like the only reasonable choice,” Lexa muttered, her eyes flickering from Clarke’s face to assess the blockade in front of them.

 

“You keep saying ‘one of us,’” Clarke observed, her arms crossing defensively over her chest.

 

Lexa glanced at Anya, whose lips were thin. She stared intently at the blockade, seeming to think it over.

 

“So who’s going?” Clarke questioned.

 

Lexa rolled her eyes. Of course the blonde would make it much harder than it needed to be. “Fine. I’ll go. Just be ready to back me up if anything happens,” she grumbled.

 

Anya’s eyes widened nervously, but after a moment, she nodded. As Lexa kicked the door out, she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She glanced over.

 

“Just be careful, okay squirt? And no worries. We got your back.” Her grin was crooked, and if Lexa had not had so much practice in reading Anya’s facial expressions, she might’ve missed the heavy concern in her eyes.

 

The brunette nodded. Once on the ground, she checked her gun to make sure it was loaded and ready before she loped lithely towards the blockade of cars.

 

There was no movement inside the luxury vehicle, but Lexa held her gun securely in front of her all the same. The windows were lightly tinted, making it difficult to see inside, so the closer she crept, the more on edge the girl could feel herself become. Once she had reached about five feet away, she could see the unlocked door and reached forward to pull it open. Risking a glance over her shoulder, she looked back to see Clarke with a thumb’s up and a small smile, and Anya ready with her 9mm. With the knowledge of the two women carefully watching her back for any signs of danger, she more easily wrenched the door open and pointed her weapon inside.

 

The inside front seat of the care is empty, besides an American flag bandana tied to the rearview mirror. Lexa heaved herself in, quickly locking the door -- better safe than sorry, she figured -- turning the keys that sat in the ignition until she could hear the hum of the motor.

 

In her peripheral vision, the brunette could see movement from the jeep. She couldn’t hear the screams, but she could see her travel companions’ mouths hanging wide open as they called for her, pointing behind her. But before she could swing back and shove the barrel of her gun into whatever was behind her, she felt something catch her arm. Her heart jumped, and had her finger been on the trigger, someone would’ve been dead. Lucky for the man in the backseat, it had not been.

 

“Easy there,” the man murmured in a soothing voice. Bright green eyes that side wide apart narrowed, but his mouth was twisted into an easy smirk. His black hair was long and unkempt, almost like dreads hanging in his eyes. 

 

“I don’t want any trouble. Just let my arm go, and I’ll get out of your car,” Lexa intoned. She didn’t dare move a muscle.

 

The man -- boy, maybe -- released her arm, his smirk only growing as he settled back into the seat a little. He held his hands up in surrender, though one was wrapped loosely around the hilt of a knife, making Lexa’s stomach tighten. She couldn’t tell what it was, but there was something off about him. Something she didn’t like a bit.

 

“Hey, it’s all good. It’s not even my car. You see, I was walking this way and it was open so I hopped in. Next thing you know, I’m totally passed out and well, here we are,” he says, his voice tapering off at the end with a sigh.

 

Lexa swallowed, considering her options. Before she could make a decision one way or another, though, the man gestured towards the jeep with his head.

 

“You’re with some people. Who are they?”

 

_ Wrong _ . That was not his place to ask. Lexa could feel her heart squeeze, maternal instinct taking over. She had to move the car so they could get the hell out of there. “Listen….”

 

“Call me Murphy.”

 

“Okay, Murphy. Let me move this car so we can go by, and then we can chat some more.”

 

The boy thought it over for a second or two before nodding. “Alright.”

 

With shaking hands, Lexa slowly lowered her gun, placing it gently on the center console before kicking the car into reverse. Within moments, the van was out of the way, and Lexa was able to flip it off and unbuckle herself. She hopped out of the car, immediately stepping back towards her sister, her safety net.

 

“Yo, wait up,” the boy called. Lexa gritted her teeth, watching the blondes’ faces contort into confusion as he trotted up beside Lexa.

 

“So, as I said, I’m Murphy,” he greeted in his slow drawl. Lexa fought the urge to roll her eyes.

 

“Lexa. This is Anya, my sister, and her friend Clarke.” Murphy’s eyes roamed each of the girls separately, not bothering to try to conceal his grimy smile.

 

“Cool. So where are you guys headed?”

 

The brunette bit down on her lip. It wasn’t any of his business, and they’d learned their lesson about other survivors. But she had to answer some questions if she wanted to get rid of him without any blood on her hands.

 

“We’re headed east, outside of the city,” came her short reply.

 

She glanced towards her travel companions, one of which looked uncomfortable, the other of which was glancing at the boy with the most compassionate doe eyes Lexa had ever seen. Anya was shaking her head slightly.

 

Murphy’s smile tightened. “Hey, it’s all good. Do your thing. I was just wondering because I just came from the city and it’s all gone to hell.” His hands played with the knife he held, either subconsciously or very consciously bringing attention to the weapon. Lexa wondered if it was his subtle way of threatening them. She didn’t take that well. “So, anyway, why are you heading east? It’s all just water out there, isn’t it?”

 

“We’re meeting up with some friends to figure a way out of the city,” Lexa explained, hoping her brevity would get her point across -- that she wasn’t going to give him any useable information.

 

“Well, I don’t know what’s that way that’s so different than the city, but the army’s got all transportation on lockdown. Airports, train stations, highways. Good luck getting anywhere.”

 

Lexa’s eyes were still focused on the knife in Murphy’s hand when she felt something nudge her foot. It was the toe of Anya’s boot. A flip of blonde hair as she cocked her head to the side, indicating that she wanted to go.

 

The wind picked up, making an eerie sound as it rushed down the highway. Clarke wrapped her arms around her shoulders, before turning and walking back to the car. Eyes trained on Murphy’s form, Lexa caught sight of him staring at one thing as the blonde walked away. She couldn’t stop the tightening of her fingers around her gun, nor the clenching of her teeth.

 

“We’d better get going. It was nice to meet you, Murphy. Good luck,” she intoned, her voice even and diplomatic despite the bile creeping up her throat. She pivoted, marching towards the driver’s seat of the van and buckling herself in, Anya following.

 

Just as she was putting the key in the ignition, keeping her eyes intently on her car and not on the man they were practically leaving on the side of the road to die, Lexa heard a quiet rap against her window. She glanced over to see a pokerfaced Murphy looking in on her. From beside her, Anya’s voice could be heard as a whisper: “If he asks, he can’t come with us.”

 

Lexa lowered the window, leaning back when Murphy tilted his head in. “You guys got room? It’s a… long way for me to walk,” he explained with a vitriolic smile.

 

Lexa shook her head, opening her mouth to speak, but her mind wandered back to the knife on his hip. She paused, looking over at Anya and through the rearview mirror. Clarke’s jaw was clenched, but she nodded. It was clear that she felt for the boy. Lexa swallowed.

 

“Sure, Murphy,” she said with a drained sigh. “Hop in the back.”

 

Anya caught her wrist, honey colored eyes flashing with warning as the door in the back opened. Clarke shuffled further over, sending Murphy a tight grin. “Are you nuts?” Anya hissed. “We don’t know anything about him!”

 

“What are we going to do, just leave him on the side of the road for the biters?” Lexa asked carefully, her voice even.

 

“Fuck if I care. What if he turns out to be a psycho?”

 

Lexa’s eyes flashed in the rearview mirror once again, this time landing on Murphy’s face. He didn’t exactly give her the warmest feelings, and she was definitely not happy with the way he had looked at Clarke, but Clarke was the one who wanted him to come. Really, what else could she do? 

 

“There’s nothing to discuss. We can’t leave him here.”

 

She turned to face the road again, and jammed the truck into drive. Anya’s tension beside her was omnipresent, filling the car, but Lexa attempted to shrug it off. The drive from there was a pretty clear shot, the only sound amongst the four young adults being the constant strain of rubber wheels against the road, and the occasional direction from the GPS, Susan. After a while, the GPS spoke up again.

 

“Proceed one half of a mile north, then turn left onto Copper Drive,” she recited.

 

Lexa felt a weight lift off her chest. Only a couple more minutes, and they’ll have arrived with not a single problem. At least, so she thought until she glanced into the rearview mirror to see Murphy’s eyes aimed at something behind the passenger seat. Lexa frowned, craning her neck around for a better looking, catching Murphy’s intense leer at Clarke’s cleavage. Murphy’s eyes snap up to meet Lexa’s, but his easy, greasy smile doesn’t fade.

 

“What’s up?”

 

“What were you looking at?” Lexa questioned, her voice barely concealing the threat she feels bubbling up in her throat.

 

“Nothing. Just stretching my neck.”

  
Lexa swallowed, her jaw popping out to the side with irritation, but she dropped the issue hoping against hope that she wouldn’t have to turn around and ask him to stop again. She turned on to Copper Drive with her stomach churning with something that felt an awful lot like jealousy.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, that's the first chapter. Boom. I promise it'll get better from here, so feel free to stick around! Also, quick shout out to a really good friend of mine [nxneteens](http://nxneteens.tumblr.com/) (becky/narcissism) who has helped me immensely with not just this story but pretty much everything. Love that bab.


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